P1 Preparation

Last Thursday, it was  the day scheduled to go to Zyan's intended primary school for preparation work. It was scheduled at 2.10pm.

I took leave.

Morning, brought Zyan to Science Centre. It's free to citizems on non-peak days. Means not school holiday lah. I cheapo 1 mah. Hahaha
It's the second time I brought him there. The first time also due to some event that Zyan didn't go to school, so have to find things to make him occupied.

This time, we cannot do full day like the last time. Had to go pick Karinna at around 1pm, before we head for lunch and then to Ngee Ann Primary School.

Still, he had his fun share at Science Centre. He ran around like a monkey. Hand so itchy, everything also want to press. :P
Chanced upon this table, and he wanted me to help him take a picture of his body-less head. :P

There's some kind of Marvel theme happening at end of the month of something. So there's a hulk exhibition there. I think it is starting this coming weekend.
Anyway, won't be there again so soon lah.

There he had fun, playing with the exhibition. He didn't read much to the science of how some of the things work. Kids mah.
There's a demostration of how powerful electricity can be.
It can wireless-ly light up some light tubes. It can also burst balloon from a distance (not so far away lah).
The balloon is filled with hydrogen (if I remember right, is 15 times lighter than air), and when the current starts, the 2 balloons burst into flame and poof!
Helium is about 6 times lighter. But Hydrogen is combustible.

Anyway, we only spent about 1.5 to 2 hours there, and before we left, he had some fun taking picture of himself. Voila!

Soon after, left the place and went to pick Karinna up.

Anyway, we reached the school before 2.10pm.
Filled up some forms for his P1 preparation.
Giro application to pay his school fees.
Edusave account approval to deduct any other fees that may be required.
blah blah blah.

Of course, not forgetting purchasing the school books, school uniform, name tags etc.
Some books are not available yet, but already paid for, and will get it when the school starts.
Add this add that, just for the books and uniforms and shoes blah blah, it was probably close to $300.
Terok right?
Still have to check out school bus, and also after-school care service within the school.
Can only have more idea on 18 Nov, which is the orientation day for the P1 students and parents. :P

After getting all the P1 preparation done, went to Changi Village for a drink, and let him catch a bit of pokemon. At that hour, no special pokemon appear.
I do not know about the spawning of specific pokemons, so it is just pure luck (or no luck for that matter). LOL

Then headed to IKEA. His final playground for the day.
Not sure how long more he can play at IKEA playground. The height limit is between 90 - 130 cm.
He is already 120+ cm, so maybe next year would be too tall to enter, unless the staff there can close 2 eyes for little children that are taller. :D
When  the time comes, then I will know.

Anyway, we had our dinner at IKEA before going home.
At least, for now, we are more or less ready for P1 next year.

Graduation 2016

It's coming to an end, to Zyan's pre-school schedules. Yes, next year he will be going to his new primary school.

Thus, yesterday was his kindergarten's official graduation ceremony.
This is the only year that he is in St Hilda's Kindergarten. Previously, he was at the childcare centre near our home, Praise Kids @ Katong Presbyterian Church.
In his previous childcare education, every year there's a Thanksgiving concert, and I had been to each and every one of them since he started.
Always so cute.

So he had been told to be in school yesterday by 11.15am. Coneert only to be started around 12.30pm.
So we brought him there, then both Karinna and myself went for coffee nearby, and had a bit of lunch.

Then we came back around 12.20pm, and seated to wait for the start of the concert.

You know, kids being kids, it's always so nice to watch them do performance.

Kids waiting for the start of the session

Can you find the little Zyan. Quite easy though. :P

I estimated that every class had about close to 20 minutes of performance.
For his class, Honesty class, the finale piece is a dance performance on dream and ambition.
童真。。。那么的。。。真诚。。。

Each class took its turn to do performance, and also to don the graduation gown.

 

And so, our son has graduated from his pre-school eduation.
New life awaits for the young man next year. Ngee Ann Primary School.
There's some preparation arrangement to be done next week at his new school. Well, next week then say. :P

He had a busy day yesterday.
After the concert, had to go to Marine Parade Community Centre for his abacus class. This was just started last week.
And then, he had an extra lesson class for his Taekwando, as he will be taking his green belt grading test today later at 10.45am.
There goes his whole day and afternoon.

In the evening, we went to Plaza Singapura, wanting to get some stuff there.
And to end it, we gave our little Zyan a little surprise.
Brought him to MBS area, to let him have his little zyanic time for his pokemon catch. LOL.
Think the next time he will bug me to bring him to Sentosa and Changi Village. And no, not yet Hougang.

And that's it, his very busy schedule on his kindergarten graduation day.
His parents also busy like that. hehehe.

写

小时候， 经常都会有作文作业.
老师也常督促学生们多读报纸和各别书刊。
我记得报章以前有些专栏， 刊登一些文章， 都是从读者那儿寄来的。现在可能也有吧？我不知道。我现在没读中文报了。
 
以前读的时候， 有时会想象会不会有一天也会有我的文章。想终归想， 行动可从来没动过！ 哈哈！
我只记得在报章上看过同学的发表， 很羡慕。
那个家伙， 好多年的同窗。
陈年旧事。
 
看看现今的社会， 网际网络有部落格。你爱写什么就写什么。 只要不触犯法律， 也不违背自己的良知， 谁都可以任意发表自己的观点和想法。当然， 还是有一部分的人， 专门故意制造一些莫须有的论文， 为何？
 
说到自己， 嘿嘿， 写的有的没有的， 有时候也不知道在写什么。
有写就好。有写有进步， 可是没写也不一定退步。
写或不写？看啦！又在胡扯了。
 
为什么会弄个部落格呢？
真正的原因是因为当时无聊。也有因为想试试的理由。
那是2007年， 将近十年了。
 
十年之前， 我不认识你 。。。 啦啦啦。。。会唱吗？ 😁
 
从早期的每隔几天都写， 到如今的每几个月才写， 可见那股热诚已渐渐淡去。
渐渐的少了。
慢慢的忘了。
懒懒的算了。
 
写与不写之间， 你的选择是。。。 。。。
看心情了。。。

 

Aftermath II

It’s been a few weeks since the gathering of my Seconday School classmates.
At that time, close to 20 were ‘found’, and about 16 turned up.
Not too bad.
 
Even though the small gathering was done, some effort was still done to search for the missing people. LOL

Within that same week, a few got added.

Sharifah, Norlinda, Rohimah, Poh Hoon, Julie, Henry, Ephren, Kok Whee. Through Rohimah, Oi Lay and Chui Lin appeared.
Just these already 10 more added! How cool!

 

Some are easy to find, some are hard.
 
I found Kok Whee during one of the nights while taking time off from work to browse.
Have to search through a list of FB people with about the same name.
His picture is not his face, making it harder to find. No good description of where he used to study etc. Have to peek into each person’s timeline and photos, and voila!
Some familiar face of that name.
By the time found him, he just left Singapore back to his workplace in China. Hahaha
 
Then there is this Kok Hwee. Yeah. Similar name as above, but different person. Same same but different.
This guy no FB. Very limited info in Linkedin.
We know he is dentist, and through some grapevine, he is supposed to be in UK.
OK. So I also kaypoh go search a bit.
 
Found a person in UK doing dentistry. Likely to be him. Not sure right, so many people with the same name as him.
Only good thing is, in the dentistry list from NUS, there is only name that match exactly that graduated in 1995. But that’s only in the NUS list. Nothing more.
So managed to find some link where this dentist is working in UK. Wow. Solid eh?
So 1 day, I called the clinic to ask for him.
He was busy, so the receptionist helped to leave him a message.
Cannot tell the receptionist I am Simon Tay, coz my friend Kok Hwee will not know who that is.
Pronounce to the ang mo receptionist also susah, sure cannot understand me 1.
True enough. So have to spell out 1 by 1. I think in the end, she still got problem relaying the message to Kok Hwee.
One good thing though, she took down my email address correctly.
Which is what my friend did. He sent me an email greeting from UK, saying he cannot know from the receptionist who was looking for him.
So from there, slowly got his mobile, and turned him in to the person in charge of the whatsapp

group. Hehehe

 
For each new person that got added into the group, usually he/she will be the star of the day.
People will re-introduce themselves after the hellos.
Some will talk more, some will talk less. Normal.
 
Well, there are still a couple of people not found. About 8-10 I guess.
Can we find all? Hmmmm.
I never know. Never say never … …

30 Years

It’s been some time.

It’s time to pen down some memories.

 

It was 20 Aug, and I was added into a whatsapp group “老同学1986”.

Ohhhh. So exciting. It’s another round of reminiscing time with old friends.

This time, it is my own class. Temasek Secondary School Class 4/3.

Two years ago, I had one wit Class 4/2. I was a constant gatecrasher to that class’ activities. So sometimes they also think I was from their Class.

It was a fun experience, as it would have been for most people.

At that time, I did pen down my encounter of that day

http://thetays.blogspot.sg/2014/01/the-aftermath.html

http://thetays.blogspot.sg/2014/01/blog-post_30.html

http://thetays.blogspot.sg/2014/02/blog-post_6.html

Anyway, back to the whatsapp group, I could recognise all names, as they are all in my contact list or Facebook friends somehow or another.

Sook Fun, Wei Lee, Siang Chuan, and Mun Kitt.

They suggested to have a gathering for the class. I asked if it is meant for small group, and an effort to get more of the rest of the people as well.
Started small really, and was suggested to keep it small at first. Fine with me. I very chin chai 1.
Since I have a few other contacts, I asked if they ok to join the group. Generally no objection really.
Slowly, Ahmad joined. Geok Hong, Kian Yong, Chee Siong, Penny, Chin Kok, Kheng Siang, Chen Hian, Rafi, Geok Yan, Yi Fang, Siew Meng, Voon Fah, Joseph, and … … …

It was suggested to go some restaurant etc etc, but in the end settled to meet up at Penny’s place. And in actually, she suggested very much early as an option. How nice of her!

Date: 16 Sept 2016

Well, it’s not everybody contacted, but not so bad for less than 1 month’s work though.

I am sure more could be uncovered in future.

Some bickering still happens between friends. Some showing of concerns surfaced within the chat. Some awkwardness can happen between strange friends.

Some people become quieter, some become a little noisier. Afterall, they are all in their own 2016 version of ownself, as they aptly put it.
Whatever it is, still the same old classmates from 30 years ago.

So the day was yesterday.

I was there just before 7pm or so. Was tasked to get the satay from chomp chomp.

SF/WL/SC were the first to be there. I knew they would go there early anyway. Went to get the satay with SF, by the time got back, CS was already there. Haven’t seen him for 28 years.
Then we sat down and chat, and waited for others to arrive.

Lots of food. Food of love prepared and ordered by the host Penny, and the 3 ladies.

 

The rest like me, just came and eat. So simple, no need Visa paywave! Cha cha cha!

The place got noisier and noisier, like the wet market.

Each shared what they had been up to for the past many years. There’s always funny moments, some can be serious, some can be a little heart-wrenching. All these little things, will add to great memories for the many more years to come.

I don’t want to talk to Mun Kitt about politics. Cannot stop.

I don’t want to talk to Joseph about PSLE. So easy.

I don’t want to talk to Voon Fah about maths. 15-6=11. Jialat

Whatever we said, many were just in jest, like the old days.
So if I do offend any one of them, please accept my sincere apologies. With you guys, from the growing up days, I have no reservations to prank around with you. :P

Amidst of session, there was a cake prepared by the ladies. How nice.

And it’s just 2 days away from our favourite monitor See Tho’s birthday, so we sang him the song.

He also a bit pai seh ok. Hehehe. This See Tho had been my monitor for many years. We had been in same class for all 4 years of Sec and 2 years of JC. Class pillar. :P

See the ladies' man. The only one that got to have a picture taken with all the girls.

All good times must come to an end. Perhaps, hopefully an adjournment. For a few of them (they know who they are lah, my GFs), I know I will see them more often than the rest. As for the others, we would like to believe we will gather again in future, and not 30 years later. And for those who cannot make it, or the one who remembered the date wrongly, we shall meet again next time.

Those that haven’t appeared, may you pop out of nowhere somehow. Heh heh heh.

Thank you for sharing my school years, and sharing the great session yesterday.
Till the next time we meet again.


七仙女

九条老汉

Finale picture of the night

PS: Photos and video were all courtesy of lovely host Penny.
Courtesy is for free. Courtesy is for you and me.

Science Centre

Last Friday, I brought Zyan to our Singapore Science Centre.
His school had some excursion to River Safari on Thursday and Friday. His slot was Thursday, and Friday became his non-school day.
So I took leave to bring him out. And I chose Science Centre. :P
There's a KidStop! where he can have some fun in the area, upon my research.

The last I go into the Science Centre exhibition, was probably more than 30 years ago.
Wow.
I bet a lot of people my age, and if they have no kids, would probably be the same as well.

We reached there about 1030hrs. Opening hours start from 10am.
It's free for Singaporeans on non-peak period.
KidStop! has to pay, but again, Singaporean pays lesser. Nice.

 

For me and him, cost $7 for KidStop! admission tickets.
First, we just walked around Science Centre, before we headed to KidStop! at 1130hrs. It was quite full as I was told, and so our ticket timing was to enter at 1130hrs.

I had some concall, and needed to work for some updates. So once I brought him in, I sat somewhere to do my work, checked email and stuff. :P
Then my son went on to run around without me.
Life was a little peaceful there and then, except the noise around the area. Afterall, it's a kids' playground!

After my things were settled for that moment, I went to look for him.
Join him to move around the place a little.
Letting him learn the planets etc.

Spotting some 'animals' around the place.

Just before 1pm, we went out for lunch.
Having a McDonald at the entrance simply make it convenient for him to choose that as a lunch place. I obliged for this date with him.
After the lunch, we went back into Science Centre exhibition.

For some part of the time, I also let him explore around, as I had a concall. Good thing that there's a cafe in there where I can sit down to do some work. :P
Told him specifically where to look for him in case he wants to find me.

When finished, I went to look for him. I think playing is more important to look for me.
Managed to find him in one of the Halls, trying to play some things.

I was not expeciting him to read the instructions or information that are placed near the exhibits.
Play just comes naturally to them.

 

Walking around, checking things out, just having a good time with him.
As the time goes by, I told him we would leave the place by 5pm and then to pick Karinna home after that.
It's about 40mins drive to pick his mom, and then go home.
But before that, a treat to McDonald again.

See the happines on his face.
And yes, he went to the counter to buy the Hot Fudge Sundae himself.
Still a little shy in telling the counter staff what he wanted. LOL.
It's ok, not too bad though.

In conclusion, it is not a bad place to bring kids to.
Science Centre.
And you know what, at the end of it, the parking there is more expensive then the entrance fees I paid!
But parking fees there is very much like HDB parking price.
So ok.

Can go again next time, but non-peak period! :)

Old Item

Everybody has certain items that he or she has kept for years and years.

One of which I have is below.

It's an old alarm clock with radio, that has been with my probably in the late 80s.

I think it was given to me by my late brother.
No. I did not intentionally keep it because it was from him. It just happened that I like the alarm feature.
It is really loud. It will 99.99% of the time bounce me off my bed.
Usually, subconciously, I will wake up before it starts to buzz off. :P

Over the years, the radio feature has died. Cannot work anymore.
The alarm feature is still working fine, except needed some 'massaging' to set it to on properly.
Other than that, it is still alive and kicking.

Then, about a week back, Karinna bought me a new alarm clock.
Yes. 她送钟给我。
So I gave her $2 for giving my the clock. :)

The new alarm clock is similar, with radio as well.
It looks nicer obviously, since it is new. It is smaller. Works similarly.
The alarm itself is a lot softer though. Not sure if the volume can be adjusted. :P

So far so good.
I'm adjusting my habit to wake up at 0630hrs everyday.
Hopefully to adjust it to 0530hrs if possible ... ... ...

So the question is, which of them do I prefer?
Truthfully speaking, the alarm feature of the old one is quite good, unless I manage to bring up the volume for the new one.
Otherwise, the new Sony one is preferred as the radio is working! :P

So, how many old items you still have at your home????

PS: I still have ALL the Christmas/CNY/Wedding Invitation/Birthday cards that my friends had sent/given to me since my Primary school days ..
Still in my drawer somewhere ... ...

LOL. I am a junkie.